Two young men from Telangana have brought laurels to the state by completing a prestigious wildlife conservation training program at the national level. Sai Aaravv Apishu (Saibabu) and Shambhu Santosh Kumar, both residents of the Amrabad Tiger Reserve region in Nagarkurnool district, successfully completed a Diploma course in Wildlife Conservation and Eco-Tourism at Panna Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh. The valedictory ceremony was held on Thursday, where participants received their diploma certificates.
The training program was conducted jointly by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India, and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, under the Green Skill Development Programme (GSDP). This initiative aims to build capacity among local youth in wildlife conservation and sustainable eco-tourism practices. The program provides hands-on training and theoretical knowledge to participants from forest regions across the country.
During the training, Sai Aaravv Apishu delivered two presentations that drew significant attention from national-level scientists and wildlife experts. His first presentation focused on the village relocation model for Amrabad Tiger Reserve, explaining how five villages in the reserve can be successfully relocated through coordinated efforts between the Forest Department and the Government. He emphasized the importance of balancing conservation goals with community welfare during the relocation process.
The second presentation by Sai Aaravv addressed financial literacy among relocated villagers. He provided an in-depth analysis on how villagers can effectively utilize the ₹15 lakh relocation package provided by the government. His presentation stressed the need for sustainable investments and long-term financial stability rather than short-term expenditure, offering practical guidance to ensure the economic security of relocated families.
The presentations received high appreciation from senior officials present at the ceremony. Dr. Ramesh Krishnamurthy (Head, WII-SACON), Dr. Ramesh Chinnaswamy (EIACP Coordinator), and members from the Ministry acknowledged the quality of work presented by Sai Aaravv and his team. The officials were particularly impressed by the practical approach and ground-level understanding demonstrated in the presentations.
Following the positive response, senior officials announced that a high-level team from Wildlife Institute of India will soon visit Amrabad Tiger Reserve to study the ongoing relocation process and wildlife management practices. This visit will allow WII experts to observe the implementation of conservation strategies at the ground level and document best practices that can be replicated in other tiger reserves across the country.
Speaking about his experience, Sai Aaravv Apishu stated, “Exposure to such national and international-level training in wildlife conservation empowers local youth and accelerates the development of forest regions. I am committed to contributing towards the protection of Amrabad forests and improving the economic conditions of our people.”
